Interviews

In our newly released interview Attila Losonczy, MD, PhD, principal investigator at Columbia’s Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute shares first-hand information about what kind of instruments and methods they used to investigate the brain’s ability to acquire and store information.

The team of Prof. Losonczy has been the first ever to create an awe-inspiring 3D inventory of interneuron activity. In their research published in Neuron, (Geiller et al., 2020) the group precisely identified the type of every single interneuron in a large neural network in the brain of behaving mice: they described their anatomical properties using immunohistochemistry, and simultaneously followed their calcium activity in real time in 3D with a high spatiotemporal resolution for the first time ever using FEMTO3D Atlas multiphoton microscope. This way, it was possible to study these cells during such key events for learning and memory formation, as sharp-wave ripples.

In case you would like to learn more about the FEMTO3D Atlas take a look at our webinar or contact our product specialist to arrange a personal demo.

PEEP DEEP INTO THE HIPPOCAMPUS – An interview with neuroscientist Tristan Geiller on his recent Nature study shining a new light on memory formation

In a recent Nature study, Tristan Geiller and his colleagues at Columbia University has combined advanced techniques to perform in vivo hippocampal circuit imaging, revealing mechanisms which may hold the key for the processes of memory storage and formation.

The group has utilized the unmatched capabilities of the acousto-optic FEMTO3D Atlas two-photon microscope, which, unlike conventional imaging platforms, gives optical access to thousands of neurons in the brain in 3D simultaneously, in their native arrangement. With this tool in hand, the team has not only detected the activity of individual hippocampal place cells while forming spatial maps, but also that of all the neurons connected to them. The ambitious research project shines a new light on memory storage and formation, as it shows that the neurons in the memory center of the brain are much more connected than previously thought: they learn collaboratively in local groups, storing information redundantly in a similar way to holograms.

We are thrilled to share with you the insights of one of our valued users, Chris Makinson (Assistant Professor, Columbia University) who has been utilizing our cutting-edge technology to advance his work in the field of biomedical research. He has relied on the FEMTO3D Atlas multiphoton microscope to perform his experiments, and in this interview, he shares the reasons behind his choice and the advantages that have propelled him forward in his scientific studies.

During his postdoctoral training at Stanford University, Chris Makinson interrogated neural circuits in epilepsy using state-of-the art genetic, electrophysiological, and optical methods. His lab uses both rodent models and human brain organoids to uncover disease mechanisms and examine potential avenues for personal/precision medicine. His goal is to enhance our understanding of how neural networks result in normal and pathological conditions, focusing particularly on the genetic factors contributing to neurological diseases.